Multi-angle projection imaging of short-wave infrared (SWIR) fluorescence for small animal optical tomography.

Short-wave infrared imaging in tissue in the 1000-2000 nm range is characterized by reduced photon scatter and comparable or higher absorption compared to the NIR-I regime. These characteristics have implications for the performance of fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) techniques, potentially improving the resolution of sub-surface structure, possibly at the expense of depth sensitivity. To examine these questions, we have developed a SWIR small animal fluorescence tomography system. This instrument acquires multi-angle SWIR projection images of a stationary platform through a rotating gantry technique. These images are then processed for tomographic reconstruction of the SWIR fluorescence activity. Herein, we describe the development of this system and show multi-angle images from a mouse carcass containing a SWIR-specific fluorophore inclusion.